Wrist support and palm pad for bowling

ABSTRACT

A wrist support for bowling having an arcuate and relatively rigid portion for engaging the back of a bowler&#39;&#39;s hand and wrist and preventing any relative movement between the bowler&#39;&#39;s hand and wrist with a first pliable portion extending along one edge of the rigid portion contacting the palm of the bowler&#39;&#39;s hand and a resilient pad mounted on the pliable portion to engage a bowling ball and a second pliable portion extending along the other edge of the rigid portion for wrapping about the bowler&#39;&#39;s wrist. Both pliable portions having straps and buckles for fastening the wrist support in firm and relatively tight contact relation with the bowler&#39;&#39;s hand and wrist.

D United States Patent 51 3,704,994 Krzewinski et al. 1 Dec. 5, 1972[541 WRIST SUPPORT AND PALM PAD FOR 3,564,613 2/1971 Fowler ..273/54 B xBOWLING 3,512,776 5/1970 Thomas..... [72] Inventors: Robert J.Krzewinski, p Locka; 2,518,424 8/1950 Kaas ..2/162X g gg K'rchgessnerMlramar Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Attorney-Salvatore o. Militana[73] Assignee: Rev Master Industries, Inc., Pembroke Pines, Fla. A R CT[22] Filed; May 24, 1971 A wrist support for bowling having an arcuateand relatively rigid portion for engaging the back of a [2]] Appl'146397 bowlers hand and wrist and preventing any relative movementbetween the bowlers hand and wrist with a [52] us. (:1. ..273/54 B,2/161 -A first pliable Portion extending along one g of the 5.1] int'ci...A63b 71/14 rigid Portion Contacting the P of the bowlers hand [53]Field Search "273/54 B, 189 A; 128/165; and a resilient pad mounted onthe pliable portion to 2/16, 20, 159, 161 R 161 A 162 166 170 engage abowling ball and a second pliable portion extending along the other edgeof the rigid portion for [56] References Cited wrapping about thebowlers wrist. Both pliable portions having straps and buckles forfastening the wrist UNITED STATES PATENTS support in firm and relativelytight contact relation with the bowlers hand and wrist. 2,924,458 2/1960Barry ..273/54 B 3,598,408 8/1971 Klose ..273/54 B 1 Claim, 6 DrawingFigures PATENTEU BEE 5 I973 3.704.994

INVENTORS ROBERT J. KRZEWINSKI HENRY -J. KIRCH GESSNER ATTORNEY WRISTSUPPORT AND PALM PAD FOR BOWLING The present invention relates to wristsupporting devices and is more particularly directed to such devices formaintaining a persons wrist joint completely inflexible whileparticipating in the sport of bowling.

The conventional wrist support bands and other devices inhibit or retardbending movement of the wrist in only two directions, that is swingingof the hand back and forth but do not successfully prevent also thebending of the wrist from side to side. Any bending of the wrist by thebowler at the precise moment the bowling ball is leaving the bowlershand causes loss of control of theball. Bowlers must bowl with a stiffinflexible wrist to obtain maximum accuracy in the travel of the ball tothe pins. The present invention contemplates avoiding all possiblebending of the wrists in bowling.

Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide awrist support for bowling which renders the bowlers wrist'immobile inall directions so that there can be no relative movement between thewrist and hand while bowling and no consequent loss of control of thebowling ball.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wrist supportfor bowling that'compels the arm and hand of a bowler to function as aunit while bowling and maintain the hand in the same position on thebowling ball at each delivery of the ball.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wrist supportfor bowling with a resilient pad that takes up the space normallybetween the bowlers hand and the bowling ball whereby upon release ofthe ball, the force of the compressed pad causes the thumb to slide outof the groove in the bowling ball as the ball rolls off the palm of thehand and releasing the fingers from the ball without twisting of thewrist'and causing loss of control of the ball.

A still further object of the present invention ,is to provide a wristsupport for bowling which commences the rotation or spinning of the ballas it leaves the bowlers hand so that when the ball contacts the floorof the bowling lane, the ball is rotating and will be propelled inprecisely the direction intended and will not skid or change directionas might occur when a forwardly propelled ball comences to rotate whenit contacts the floor.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be bestunderstood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, with the understanding, however, that the invention isnot confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawingbut may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modificationsmark no material departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wrist support for bowling constructedin accordance with our invention and shown in position on a bowlers handholding a bowling ball.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are rear and front plan views of the wrist support as seenstrapped to a bowlers wrist.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of our wrist support prior to positioningon a bowlers wrist. 1

FIG. 5 is aplan view showing our wrist support in its extended position.

FIG. 6 is a side edge view thereof.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designatesimilar parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 refers to ourwrist support-consisting of length of pliable material such as leather,plastic and the like having one edge portion 11 out along a straightline while its opposite edge portion 12 is cut on a bias extending froma wide end portion 13 to a narrow end portion 14.

At the approximate mid-portion of the wrist support 10 is the backing orwrist engaging portion 15 consisting of a second piece of rigid materialsuch as a relatively thick piece of leathersewn as along its edges 16,16 to the pliable material. The rigid material portion 15 is curvedalong its edge portions 11 and 12 as shown by FIG. 6 to fit evenly aboutthe bowlers wrist with the enlarged portion 17 of the wrist support 10engaging the palm of the bowler and the narrow portion 18 being woundabout the back of the bowlers wrist.

The enlarged portion 17 .is provided with strap 19 secured at one end asat 20 adapted to extend through a slot 21 and be fastened to a buckle 22mounted on the rigid portion 15. The narrow end portion 18 is providedwith a strap 23 that is affixed thereto by a fastener 24 and whichextends completely about the wrist support 10 to be fastened to a buckle25 secured to the end portion 18.

The enlarged or palm portion 17 is provided with an enlarged opening 26for receiving the thumb of the bowler and with a pliable pad 27 thatbears against a bowling ball when the bowler has the bowling ball inposition in his hand preparatory to releasing the bowling ball. The pad27 which is relatively resilient is approximately triangular in shape asshown by FIG. 5 with an arcuate edge portion '28 joined at its ends bystraight edge portions 29. The resilient pad 26 is thickest at thearcuate edge portion 28 forming a dome which is at the position of theheel of the palm of the bowlers hand when the wrist support 10 is beingused in bowling.

In the normal use of our wrist support 10, the bowlers thumb will extendthrough the opening 26, with the enlarged palm portion 17 extendingacross the bowlers palm and front of his wrist while the rigid portion15 extends across the back of his hand and wrist. The narrow end portion18 is wrapped around and encircling his wrist with the strap 23 engagedby the buckle 25 to tighten the wrist support 10 fairly taut around thebowlers wrist. The other strap 19 is slipped under the rigid wristportion 15 inserted through the slot 21, engaged by the buckle 22 andpulled tightly to bring the wrist portion 15 into firm contact with thewrist and back of the bowlers hand. The wrist support 10 is in suchcontrol of the bowler*s hand and wrist that there can be no movement ofthe wrist in any direction with relation to the bowlers hand. When thebowler now grips a bowling ball, the resilient pad 26 will bear tightlyagainst the bowling ball at the heel of his hand. When the bowling ballis released as occurs when bowling, the pressure of the resilient pad 26forces the bowling ball to commence to roll off the fingers of thebowler so that then the bowling ball is thrown forwardly, it immediatelycommences to start rotating about its own axis and will be revolvingwhen it con tacts the floor of the alley on its way toward the bowlingpins. This action prevents the bowling ball from sliding along the alleyand thereby gives the bowler better control and accuracy of the bowlingball. At the same time, the hand and arm of the bowler is compelled toact as a unit with the wrist held immobile in all possible directionsthat a wrist is capable of bending. It is a known fact that by bendingof a wrist while bowling causes loss of control of the bowling ball. Theresilient pad 27 takes up the space that normally exists between thebowlers palm and the bowling ball and becomes compressed at its domeportion whereby upon release of the bowling ball, the force of the pad27 springs the thumb out of the bowling ball first to commence thebowling ball to rotate as the ball then leaves the palm of the bowlershand and the fingers slip out of the openings in the bowling ball.

What I claim as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A wrist support for bowling comprising a substantially rigid memberfor engaging the back of a bowlers hand and having opposing edgeportions, a buckle mounted on said rigid member with a slot formedadjacent said buckle, a substantially pliable member extending alongeach of said edge portions, one of said pliable members being a palmportion having an opening for receiving the thumb of a bowler and asubstantially resilient pad mounted thereon, the other of said pliablemembers having a buckle mounted thereon, and straps extending from bothof said pliable members adapted to engage said buckles for fasteningsaid wrist support about the bowlers hand and wrist and rendering thewrist immobile, said strap of said palm portion being adapted to extendthrough said slot in said rigid portion and engage said buckle adjacentsaid slot while said other of said pliable members being adapted toextend over the palm and wrist of the bowler with said strap of saidother of said pliable member engaging said buckle mounted thereon andthe thumb of the bowler adapted to extend through said opening in saidpalm portion wherein said pad will engage a bowling ball held by thebowler prior to releasing said ball while bowling.

1. A wrist support for bowling comprising a substantially rigid memberfor engaging the back of a bowler''s hand and having opposing edgeportions, a buckle mounted on said rigid member with a slot formedadjacent said buckle, a substantially pliable member extending alongeach of said edge portions, one of said pliable members being a palmportion having an opening for receiving the thumb of a bowler and asubstantially resilient pad mounted thereon, the other of said pliablemembers having a buckle mounted thereon, and straps extending from bothof said pliable members adapted to engage said buckles for fasteningsaid wrist support about the bowler''s hand and wrist and rendering thewrist immobile, said strap of said palm portion being adapted to extendthrough said slot in said rigid portion and engage said buckle adjacentsaid slot while said other of said pliable members being adapted toextend over the palm and wrist of the bowler with said strap of saidother of said pliable member engaging said buckle mounted thereon andthe thumb of the bowler adapted to extend through said opening in saidpalm portion wherein said pad will engage a bowling ball held by thebowler prior to releasing said ball while bowling.